Heather Yost

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Once you see a chiropractor, why do you have to go back?The truth is, you don’t have to go back.We leave the choice between “relief care” and “wellness care” up to the patient.Chiropractors look at the health of your nervous system and its “protective fortress”- the spine. Why? Because your nervous system controls the entire body.At YFC, we utilize technology to look beyond pain and see how the body functions.10% of your nervous system’s job is to tell you there’s pain. 90% of the nervoussystem is dedicated to the function of your body (ie- muscle tone, heart beating,lungs breathing, digestive tract working, etc).When you’re nervous system isn’t healthy, you aren’t healthy.Here’s an analogy. You go to your dentist and he finds a cavity and it’s filled (reliefcare). When leaving, you are told to brush and floss in between visits (stabilizationcare) to prevent additional cavities. Lastly, you are told to return in 6 months for acheck-up (wellness care) so that small cavities can be caught early and taken care of.What if your dentist filled your cavities and sent you on your way, telling you to skipbrushing and flossing and just return if or when you feel pain in your mouth? Wouldyou “fire” your dentist and find a new one? I hope so.We don’t make choices for our clients; we simply educate our patients and offeroptions, allowing the patient to choose what’s right for them.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

What foods should I feed my children?The link between the food kids eat and their health and well‐being is widely recognized today. And when it comes to the health and happiness of our children, I think that all parents will agree that only the very best will do.Nutrition can be a confusing subject and many parents wonder where to start. Since diet is crucial to the health of our children, we should not rely upon processed foods from jars and boxes. There is nothing better for your child than home‐cooked meals made from fresh ingredients. And the good news is, that cooking doesn’t have to be time‐consuming or complicated. The key is to choose your 4‐5 recipes for the week ahead of time, make a grocery list, and make meals in bulk so you can freeze extras.Make sure to pack your meals with fruits and vegetables. Researchers estimate that a diet filled with fruits and vegetables instead of unhealthy fats and refined foods, combined with increased exercise, could reduce the occurrence of cancer by at least 30%. Who doesn’t want those statistics for their child? The more colorful the food, the more nutritious it is. Choose spinach over regular lettuce, sweet potato over an ordinary potato, and go for the brightest peppers, tomatoes, broccoli and fruits you can find.Pick recipe books that help you make nutritious and easy meals. Some of my favorites are as follows: First Meals by: Annabel Karmel, Crazy Makers by: Carol Simontacchi, Feed Me I’m Yours by: Vicki Lansky, and Growing Healthy Families by: Holistic Moms Network.Remember to give your children the very best start possible and start their day with nutritious foods!For more information and opportunities to learn more, contact us at Yost Family Chiropractic.Written by Dr. Heather YostProvided for Urbandale Living Magazine (April 2010)